When my heart stopped Beating
by The Storey
Summary: Aleera. The bravest and cleverest of Dracula's vampire brides, but how did that happen in the first place? Read this story about her compelling adventure and passion.(R&R).
1. Chapter 1

When my heart stopped Beating

Chapter1

"Only for a little while." I whined.

My mother didn't even look at me, she was tired, tired of arguing with me.

"Aleera, if you go outside at this time you'll get killed." She said as she bolted the windows and made her way towards the door that led to the outside world.

"What is going to kill me, I need to know if you say that I can't go outside at night." She wasn't listening so I screamed at her, "Please mother let me go let me know what it is like to go out side at night!"

My mother turned around and looked at me straight in the eyes.

"Go." She said, not raising her voice one bit. "Go and if you don't come back there will be nothing I can do." Her eyes filled with tears and she opened the door.

I slowly walked toward the door. A cool breeze tickled my cheeks, but before I could say anything my mother pushed me outside and bolted the door behind me.

At least I had made it. Outside at night. It was so quiet, so mysterious. I loved it! Now, where was the danger know where!

I walked backwards looking up at my house and the moon, so bright so beautiful so- I bumped into something hard. I turned around to see a young looking man with long black hair tied into a ponytail, wearing smart clothes standing behind me where the village well was.

"Sorry I didn't see you there." I turned to walk away, but as I did he spoke.

"What is a young innocent girl like you doing out at this time of the night?" The stranger asked.

I turned around and replied "I'm not that young, I'm 18 years old for your information and I am out at night time for the first time in my life." I said, "Who are you any way?"

"I should like to say the same for you." The stranger smiled.

"My name is Aleera Arcovia and you are?"

"My name is Vlad." He replied as he took my hand in his and kissed it. His hands were strangely cold, but I didn't mind he made me feel feelings I had never experienced before.

"Do you live here because if you don't mind me saying you are dressed rather smart?" I asked.

Vlad nodded and pointed to the castle in the distance, which I had so often seen from out of my window.

"You live there!" I exclaimed.

"I am staying there at the moment but my real home is far away from here."

"I think I better go back, it was lovely meeting you!" I smiled and turned again to go but he grabbed my hand and turned me around.

"Shall I see you again?" He asked, his dark eyes fixed on me.

"Yes." I replied.

"When?" He asked.

"Tomorrow night here." This time I turned to go.

He shouted to me as I went, "Tell no one that you met me."

I nodded and banged upon my front door.

I heard the clatter of feet and the sound of my mother un-bolting the door.

I took one last look back, but this mysterious man had gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"You're a live!" My mother screeched as she opened the door, checking to see if I was hurt in any way.

"Mother I'm fine." We both stepped inside our house and my mother bolted the door again.

"You didn't see or meet anything? Did you?" Mother asked her face relived but still melancholy.

"I met no one." I replied.

"Good, good, I am going to bed now are you?" She got up to leave.

"Mother, can I go out again tomorrow night?" I asked, eager to meet Vlad again.

"I suppose so, but be careful." She replied and then trudged up the stairs to bed.

I felt so happy. Just because I had survived she had given in to me! I would now be able to see Vlad again!

Vlad was dreamy. His long black hair and dark mysterious eyes made my heart flutter. He was older than me, I didn't know how many years older than me he was but it couldn't have been very many, Vlad looked about twenty-five years old. I knew I was only eighteen but who cared! He was rich and handsome!

I then made my way up to my bedroom. Before I went to bed I unlocked the shutters and looked out into the night. In the distance I could see Vlad's castle towering above the trees that surrounded my Transylvanian village. I wished to go there.

To go to him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next day my mother went away to visit her dying sister in a far away village, so I was left alone.

When night fell I met him by the well, like the night before.

"Hello Aleera." Vlad smiled and kissed my hand.

"Oh Vlad!" I haven't been able to take my mind off you!" I confessed as he pulled me close to him, so our pelvises touched.

"My mind has dwelled only on you." His voice was like honey. "I will take you to my castle tonight."

I heard a horse close by and looked round to find a horse and carriage behind us.

"Transylvanian horses are the fastest!" He smiled and he helped me into the carriage.

We sped off into the dark forest, which I had never been in as I was told by many of the villagers that it was dangerous. VERY DANGEROUS.

"There she is, my castle!" Vlad shouted.

I stared up at the castle lit by pale moon light and I felt a feeling of exhilaration!

When we pulled up outside Vlad's castle I was shocked at the sheer scale of it and how dark it looked.

"Come." He said and the two great doors opened and he led me inside.

It was huge and very grand.

"Its beautiful!" I breathed, ignoring the many giant cobwebs.

"My Summer palace is better. Its interior is mainly gold." He boasted. He then led me up a large flight of stairs and into a long corridor that was strewn with candle arbores and decorative carvings of what looked like vicious monsters, they made my spine tingle.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He turned and held my hand, "You will see."

Finally we came to a large door carved with images of what seemed to be-well-the devil himself.

"Oh, don't be alarmed by those my dear they've been here for along time, before you were born even." He laughed.

"I wasn't alarmed. I think they are rather unusual." I replied.

"So you like them?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." I laughed. Vlad smiled and led me through the door.

The room he led me into was again very grand, large and rather romantic. It contained a huge four poster bed that was covered with a red velvet duvet and many large golden cushions. The room also had a large mahogany wardrobe and a dressing table. With no mirror, the room didn't have any windows either.

"Sit down, on the bed, that's it." Vlad smiled. He then sat down next to me and began kissing my neck.

"Vlad stop." He stopped and looked at me. "We've only known each other a little while and I'm only 18!" I said.

"Aleera love is a strange thing and I can't contain myself, so please let me love you."

I paused and thought then very slowly stood up and un-did my dress letting it drop to the floor. I then lay on the large bed and Vlad loomed over me with his shirt off and kissed my lips. He showed me love.

The next morning I found myself lying in my own bed. I sat up feeling happy.

Laying at the end of my little wooden bed was a note and a red rose? The note read:

My heart will never beat but if it could it would beat only for you, I love you Aleera! Meet me again tonight I have something to tell you.

Vlad.

I felt excited but slightly confused about his heart not beating, still the time we had spent with each other had been wonderful. I remembered how his hands, which were strangely cold, ran over my bare body and how I had felt is bar chest on mine.

"Aleera! Aleera! I am home! Aleera!" I heard my mother call from down stairs so I quickly got dressed and ran down stairs.

"Hello mother, oh ,erm, how is Aunt Virginia?"

"Oh Aleera I am so glad you are safe." My mother smiled and then she began to cry. "My dear sister is no more, she lived long and died of old age, at least she will be in a better place!"

I hugged my mother. "Don't dwell on unhappy thoughts think only of the happy ones!"

My mother and I sat down at the little wooden table.

"I think its time you knew." My mother sighed.

Time I knew what? What was she going to say?

"About why our people fear the night. You see these woods are full of creatures of the night, werewolves, monsters', and trolls'. But the worst of them all is Count Vladislaus Dracula." My mother did the sign of the cross I the air.

"Dracula?" I cocked my head to one side like a confused dog.

"He was murdered years and years ago. He then made a deal with the devil to live again but only by drinking blood, the blood of humans." She paused.

Then started again" He cannot come out at day as sunlight will burn his skin. The sign of the cross, garlic, a stake through the heart or holy water are supposed to kill him but for many years they have never worked and men who go after him never come back. Dracula used to terrorise Transylvania but now he has stopped, some say he is searching for a bride to satisfy his un-beating heart!"

I gasped "Mother the palace-"

"Yes that belongs to him along with many others." My mother nodded.

'Mother why didn't you tell me? Maybe we wouldn't have had so many arguments." I said.

"Its alright now though!" My mother took my head I her hands. "Because you went out at night and are still alive it shows he must have stopped has left Transylvania and gone to another of his many palaces."

Does the rest of the village know this?" I asked.

My mother shook her head, "No they don't want to chance it."

"Why don't you come out at night mother?"

"No, no dear the night holds nothing for me."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter4

I lay on Vlad's bare chest with his arm around me.

"I love you Aleera." He smiled.

"I love you too. By the way have you heard of Count Dracula?" I said still laying on him.

Suddenly he stiffened. "Yes I have. Why?" His voice sounded surprisingly cold.

"My mother was telling me about why our village is afraid of the night." As I said this he sprang out of bed.

"And you believe her? You believe these silly village rumours?" As he roared with anger it was like the whole castle shook.

"What has come over you Vlad? I've never seen you like this?" I cowered behind the bed sheets a little.

"Sorry Aleera. I don't know what came over me." He lay down next to me.

"My mother said that the Count lives here!" I laughed, but his face looked dark and sullen.

Vlad stammered a bit. "Rumours say he did once, but I haven't found any history on him."

I smiled and looked into his dark brown eyes that were almost black. "Just wanted to know and what was that note you gave me all about?"

"Oh that, erm, just a bad bit of poetry!" He laughed.

I wasn't sure about what Vlad told me. When I was lying on his chest I hadn't detected a heart beat and he was always strangely cold. But why did he get into such a fluster over the village rumours? I mean my village was always strangely superstitious!

"I think its time I took you back Aleera." He did just that and we agreed to meet again just like we had been doing for the past few nights!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter5

The next day I had a walk around the village. Why were all the people here so weird? They all skulked about looking creepy and not to mention dirty. I stared up at the dark castle towering high in the distance.

"Staring at the castle I see!"

I turned around, startled, to find Mr Top Hat the undertaker standing beside me.

"Sir! I didn't see you there and yes I am observing the castle." I said.

"I am surprised you even dare to look at that hellish place!" He said.

"You believe in those rumours?" I was startled.

He shook is head in a grave manner, "Oh they aren't rumours they are true. I have seen the Count with my own eyes, but that was long ago. I just hope that the rest of my generation will not have to live in fear of his wrath, like we do!"

"We live in fear?" I was shocked at this remark.

"It may not seem like that to you young ones but we do not know if he is hiding or waiting for the best time to strike again!" He walked away and went back to measuring the sick looking people of our village so he would know what coffin to put them in.

My mind was now swimming with all sorts of things mainly the question was Vlad a vampire? I felt scared, Top Hat new everything and it wasn't like him to lie. I new that this time it was up to me to confront Vlad and ask him to tell me the truth.

When night fell upon the land I met Vlad and he took me away again to his castle. When we got up to his bedroom I asked him about the village rumours again.

"Vlad I need you to tell me something and tell me the truth." I said, standing by the bed. Vlad was standing by the mahogany wardrobe and he turned to face me. His face was dark and a horrible pale.

He laughed a horrible low laugh, "I think I should introduce myself properly to you, I am Count Vladislaus Dracula!"

My eyes filled with tears and I shook my head in disbelief. "No! Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I? You would have told everybody I your village and I would have been hunted again. But you can't deny your love for me, you are mine , mine!" He bared his long white fangs and his eyes flashed red!

"You un-dead monster! To think I loved you, know wonder you were always so cold and I could never feel a heart beat!" I shouted as Dracula gradually came closer.

I screamed and ran from the room. I slammed the door shut and turned around. There he was right behind me.

"How did you do that?" I stammered.

"Vampire powers." He hissed and I ran again.

I got down the huge flight of stairs and the lights went off. I screamed then stood very still. Something moved in the darkness. I heard it crawl up the wall and walk on the ceiling. I looked up and the lights flashed on and right in front of me Count Dracula hissed.

"No, no, no!" I screamed as he kissed my lips and dropped down from the ceiling.

"You are mine, all mine." Count Dracula growled.

I went limp and let him seduce me in his cape. I felt his cold lips touch my neck and his fangs bite down hard. I cried out in pain, then everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I opened my eyes and stared up. Two smartly dressed old ladies looked down on me. I sat up.

"Who are you? And where am I?" I looked around as the old ladies smiled. I was in a dark room. On a table were a bunch of black dead roses tied up in a red ribbon like the colour of blood. I gasped as I saw the large coffin lined with satin that was next my coffin! So I was DEAD?

"You better hurry up dear." One of the old ladies said and stretched out a hand towards me.

I took it and said, "Hurry for what."

The second oldie lady picked up the dead roses and handed them to me, "Your wedding dear!" She exclaimed.

I froze in shock, "But I'm dead."

"Yes, we know. You are the first bride of Dracula!" The old women said and began sorting out what seemed to be my wedding dress. It was a long, black, satin dress completes with a black a black lace veil, which they put over my face to cover it.

"This way dear." They led me slowly by the hand through a large oak door. A long staircase was before me.

"What now?" I asked as they let go of my hand and started to walk away.

They turned around, "Go up the stairs then when you come to the large door at the top go through. Then the rest is up to you!" I a blink of the eye they were gone.

I slowly made my way up the stairs, the train of my black wedding dress (that was more like a fancy funeral garment) trailing behind me.

When I came to the door I took a deep breathe-No! I wasn't breathing! Of course I was one of the un-dead now. I could feel know pain, no love, no joy and no sorrow. I put my hand on my breast and felt no heart beat. The human inside me was gone forever, so I pushed the door open.

A thousand burning eyes stared at me. In front of me a long red carpet stretched out and on either side of the carpet stood people in pews, like you get in a church. The only difference was this wasn't a church of God, but a church of the Devil. I searched for a familiar in the crowds and finally I saw one! Count Vladislaus Dracula. He stretched his hand out and beckoned me to come. I felt romantically drawn to him and so took a step forward. As I did an organ rang out and began to play an un-familiar ballad. I supposed it was some wedding and funeral march combined, I liked it!

I walked down the aisle towards the Count. He smiled I reached him and he lifted my veil. I stared into his dark eyes and the service began.

After I had got married to the Count and had officially become Countess Aleera Dracula there was a huge celebration held in the great hall of one of his palaces, I wasn't sure which one.

At this huge celebration there was dancing and lots of feasting. Although everything seemed very merry there was also something solemn about the whole affair; probably the fact that I had just died and as well as celebrating my marriage to Dracula, they were mourning my death.

"Enjoying yourself?" Vlad asked as him and I sat at the top of the long banqueting table.

"Yes. Where am I Vlad?" I said.

"You are in castle Dracula, this is your home now. Forever." He took my cold and in his and kissed it.

Suddenly the male vampire who sat next to Vlad stood up. "Count Dracula and your new bride, I have a small gift for you in celebration of your marriage. Bring him in!" Two creatures with small teeth dragged in a screaming mortal.

"What are those things?" I asked.

Vlad pointed to them, "They are called Dwergi, our servants."

The Dwergi dumped the man in the middle of the room and the many vampires hissed at him with hungry eyes.

Before the other vampires resisted the temptation to flock upon this man and suck the blood from his veins. Vlad jumped up onto the table.

"He is all yours, and of course the brides master." The vampire who had brought him said, then sat down.

Vlad strode towards him his long black cloak gently floating behind him.

"Please no! Have mercy, mercy!" The man screamed out. Vlad undid the rope that bound the man's wrists together.

"You are a mortal and we are vampires, we have no mercy!" As Vlad said this he grabbed the man's left arm and twisted it backwards. The man let out a bloodcurdling scream.

I stood up. I felt an unexpected urge to bite the man. I could here his heart beating fast in fear, I could sense the warm fresh blood pumping through his veins. I looked at Vlad and leaped over the table to join him.

"Your first bite my darling!" He laughed.

"How do I bite him?" I asked.

Vlad ejected his fangs and placed them on the man's neck.

Vlad took my hand in his, "You take the right hand side and I'll take the left. The poor mortal began to scream and sweat as we closed in on him.

I craved his blood and as I moved my lips to the man's neck I felt my fangs eject from the inside of my top gums. I hissed and bit down hard into his flesh. Warm blood trickled down my throat and I lapped it up. I stopped and stood up. The man lay dead on the floor. His face pale and eyes wide staring at the ceiling. Vlad wiped the blood from his own mouth and walked over tom. The other vampires flocked on the dead man.

"Oh Vlad." I sighed as he took me in his arms and stroked my face.

"You have blood on your chin." He said and I went to wipe it off, but Vlad stopped me.

"Let me." And he licked my chin.

"Vlad!" I laughed. I looked into Vlad's eyes they were trying to tell me something, I knew what he was trying to say. They were his bedroom eyes.

He whispered in my ear "Later…"

For the rest of the evening I felt comfortable with our pelvises together. I liked it, NO! I loved it!

At around 11 he took me to the upstairs of his castle. The upstairs of this one was like the one in Transylvania with all the elaborate decor. When he led me to a large door, which had carvings of the devil around it, I knew what room this was.

I smiled at Vlad and he smiled back, then led me into the room. The bed this time was larger and looked more expensive.

I stood facing Vlad, he held me in his arms and began to kiss my neck roughly.

"Oh Vlad, I love you, I do, I do, say you love me!" I ran my fingers through his long dark hair.

"Aleera! I love you even though I cannot feel it and my heart is hollow and cold!" He stopped and started to rip the clothes from my body. I started to undo his shirt and we both ended up on the large bed. He put his hands slowly onto my breasts and I kissed his mouth with passion.

"We shall have many a children!" He cried out as I pushed my pelvis into his.

"Yes anything you say master!" I laughed as he bit my lip and kissed my hair. It was going to be a long night of passion….


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter7

After an hour of passion he carried me in his arms to the castle vaults were our coffins lay next to each other. He laid me in one and I pulled the collar of his cloak so his lips fell on mine.

"When I first encountered you outside, I fell for your beauty and I knew that your beauty had to be kept like it is now for all eternity." Vlad told me and he gave me one final kiss before he climbed into his own coffin.

"I love you." I said and I closed the lid on my coffin.

The next night I woke up, opened my coffin and crept over to his. He was inside still sleeping.

I changed into the dress Dracula had brought me as a wedding gift. It was a floor length pink, thin satin dress that was embroidered with gold. The sleeves were floor length as well, but a dark pink and not embroidered with gold. The middle of the dress was my stomach was, was almost see through and had four pink jewels on it. The sleeves draped from the top of my arms and were even longer than the actual dress; they were a beautiful dark pink. The back of the dress had a long v-shape so you could see my back; it too was embroidered with gold. You could actually see the whole of my waist because that area was see through, it was a very revealing dress because it showed a lot of my cleavage. I felt rich and powerful wearing it.

I left the coffin room and went outside. I went to the main door. I was almost impossibly tall! I stared up at it and realised that the only way to get over this door (it had a gap at the top) was to fly over it! The next thing I knew I was a large bat with wings! I flew over the door and outside and landed on my feet, back in human form.

The air outside was cold. In fact it was snowing. I looked back up at the castle with its two tall towers and dark imposing look. I stared about me and looked up at the two skeletons on pikes then the many more that lay about, frozen from the ice and snow that covered the ground. In front of me was a large window. I could see the inside of a house. A chair sat in front of this window. I went to touch it and my hand went straight through. I plucked up all my courage and walked through.

The house was warmly lit by a large fire. I could here men's voices and smell blood. Breathers. I ran to a nearby window and jumped from the top of it. Below a river flowed and a forest stretched out. I flew over it and in the distance I could see my old village. I flew done into it and landed in the middle of the silent village only lit by the full moon.

I looked around. Now in the middle of the village behind the deep well stood a huge pole laden with burned crucifixes! I shut my eyes then realised I hadn't been turned to dust. I was safe. Holy water, a wooden stake through the heart, garlic and the sign of the cross.

Why was my village like this? Windows on houses were boarded up and the every door looked heavily bolted. I spotted my house and ran towards it, but a strong hand on my shoulder stopped me.

I turned around and I fell into Dracula's arms.

He stroked my shoulder and I cried "How long was I asleep?"

"One hundred years and you still look only eighteen." He said calmly.

"What happened in those one hundred years?" I asked.

"When you were found dead in your house lying stretched out on the bed with two tiny cuts the size of pin pricks in your neck, the other villagers new exactly what it was and prepared for constant attack from me. They forgot to deal with you and instead they just buried you. I had my Dwergi dig you up. You were slow to develop into a vampire, probably because you died a brave and strong girl. I took your coffin every were, my Summer Palace in Budapest, Castle Frankenstein and of course Castle Dracula where I kept you until I had the wedding prepared and of course you all dressed up in your wedding dress." Dracula explained.

"What happened to my mother?" I wanted to cry but my tear ducts dried up with my soul.

"You mother died knowing you died- I don't know how to put it." He stopped.

"She died grieving and knowing that her only daughter was taken from her too young and innocent, and my a dark cruel monster!" I slapped him in anger and ran off.

I could here him calling after me saying "Come back here darling, come back!" In a malevolent sarcastic kind of way.

I ran through the graveyard and stopped in shock as I saw my name on the gravestone.

Aleera Arcovia

Died to young and too beautiful

"I think it's beautiful." Dracula laughed behind me.

"I turned around and screeched, "You would, how could anyone love you!" This time I ran far into the forest that surrounded the village.

I ran for a long time until I was deep in the undergrowth. Fir trees touched the dark starry sky and I lay down on the icy, leafy ground.

"How can I be looking at the same sky that my mother looked at for years and years when I died." I said out loud to myself. "Are you up there mother? Can you here me? If you can I'm so sorry and you were right all along!"

Dracula suddenly appeared on top of me laughing.

"Oh its you." I said and rolled out from underneath him.

"You have to learn to be evil and cold hearted, I should have left you to sleep for a bit longer I think, you still seem a little human."

"I have a good mind to drive a stake through your heart!" I shouted and moved away from him.

"That won't work! On you yes and at the minute I feel like doing that to you." He said in a smug sort of way.

He made me cringe and I shuddered, he was sexually creepy the way he fawned over me but was still cruel!

"What will work then?" I asked softly.

Dracula moved behind me and began to stroke my long red hair so I turned and faced him at arms length.

"A werewolf." He smiled. "I use them for servants, but if one gets out of hand…. In Castle Dracula in the tower to the left hand side there is an antidote which will lift the curse of the werewolf from the victim."

I walked away in silence.

"If your thinking of finding a werewolf they won't answer to you because they only listen to me and I would come back with me If I were you or do you want o give birth to over a hundred babies on your own?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and shook my head.

"Oh yes last night, I impregnated you, remember?" Dracula smiled at me and held out his hand. "You may not love me but come with me."

Still in shock I took his hand and we returned to Castle Dracula.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter8

"Beautiful."

I woke up startled to find Dracula staring at me in my coffin. He smiled in that charming, dark and slightly smug way of his and pointed at my stomach.

I sat up, "I've ballooned!" I shouted.

"The babies are quick to grow." Vlad laughed.

"How long have I got till I give birth?" I stammered.

"Till tomorrow."

"What!"

Vlad turned to go and as he was walking out shouted "Oh yes!"

I shook my head in disbelief. I could not believe that I fell for this man, that his dark charm and slightly sarcastic and cruel manner had made my heart skip a beat. I used my rapid movement power to meet him in the great hall.

"Did you hypnotise me into loving you?" I stared deep into his eyes.

Vlad shook his head, "No. Your heart skipped a beat every time you spoke to me, I could hear it."

"Oh" I looked away and he held me in his arms.

"You should rest, but once you have these children I must go away from here." He told me and kissed my forehead with his stone cold lips.

"Why?" I asked.

"You will know in due course."

I went back to my coffin and slept.

The next night the two old women how were at my wedding dragged me out of my coffin and away into a dark room within the vaults of the castle.

There was not much in the room apart from a table with towels and scissors on it, and a small wooden bed. They put me on the bed and I stretched my legs out in the position to give birth.

"Where is Vlad?" I asked.

The women stared at me with blank expressions, "The master will be in when you are done."

I heard the chomping of tiny teeth and I stared into the shadows. Dwergi.

I felt a sharp pain. I was ready.

"She is ready Mildred!" The first old lady ran to me and the second one trotted over.

"Yes indeed Olga!" The second old lady smiled, looking between my legs. "Push dear push!" She encouraged.

I pushed and screamed which seemed to shake the whole castle.

"Calm dear calm, remember unlike mortals you can't die and if you break any limbs they will repair themselves in a matter of seconds." Olga said in a sweet voice, which made me feel sick.

I screeched, whilst pushing, at Mildred and Olga, "That's reassuring!"

Then the pain stopped. Silence. No cry of a new born baby.

The old women beckoned a Dwergi over and it picked up something from between my legs. It was a small, slimy, green cocoon. There was something I thought beautiful about it. I was changing.

"See. I knew you could do it." Count Dracula loomed out from one corner of the room.

"Our first child." I breathed.

"The cocoon will get bigger, eventually." He said and the Dwergi carried the cocoon out of the room.

I gave birth to ninety more. I had to have a break because the Sun rose outside and carry on the next night. It was painful and gruelling but I made my master happy, and at the moment that's all that mattered.

The tiny cocoons were hung up in a part of the castle so they could grow.

Two nights later when I was in the left tower staring at the bowl on the stone podium that held the syringe filled with the antidote that could lift the curse of the werewolf. The bowl was filled with a clear liquid. The Count suddenly appeared in front of me.

"Deadly nightshade. It can melt iron." He said circling round the bowl and me.

"How do you get it then?" I said and I made my eyes go red to show him that he didn't scare me.

He laughed a cold heartless laugh and took my head in his hands "It will burn off our skin and cause us pain, but unlike mortals it will not kill us, only hurt."

"So I could grab it if I wanted to, but I'd have to smash the bowl." I said.

"Yes, we do have super strength." He paused, "I am leaving today." He said and kissed my lips.

"Why?"

He sighed, "Our babies are dead, and it is my job to find someone or something to bring them alive."

"How long will you be gone?" I inquired and I put my head on his chest.

"However long it takes." He put his hand round my waist and then disappeared.

For the rest of my days I wandered around the icy castle, flying into the village and watching the Valerious household grow.

The Valerious family lived in the castle were the window to the mortal world led out. They had lived in the castle originally owned by the Count, since Count Dracula was murdered.

I never used that way anymore because a large map covered it up, that the head of the household had put up because he was trying to find Castle Dracula. The family were vampire hunters, which is why it was risky for me to use the window, any way there was now another one, but that was a secret!

I slept a lot as well, but the Dwergi always interrupted that. They always skulked about the castle, never giving you privacy always watching until they were ordered to leave, twice! They were everywhere though. Chattering away in there strange tongue, what were they doing, where did they scuttle off to?

One hundred lonely years passed. I was walking around the great hall when the large wooden doors flung open and there was thunder and lightning. Count Dracula strode in his cloak blowing behind him.

"My love!" I ran into his arms. "One hundred years is too long to wait!"

I peered over his shoulder and noticed that standing by the door, in a long halter neck green, flowing which was as revealing as mine, her stomach showing, dress, was a tall woman. She had long dark silky hair, all most black eyes and pale skin.

"Who is she?" I hissed.

Count Dracula turned and looked at this girl, who turned her nose up.

"That is Verona." He paused, "My other bride."

"Other bride? But I am the bride of Dracula?" I screeched.

Dracula explained, "You can only bare all those children every millennium and I needed her to give me more heirs in case anything happened."

I hissed at Verona flashing my eyes red, showing my pearl white fangs and long pink nails. She flew at my throat tearing at it as we crashed against the stone wall. I screamed and scratched her face, making large gashes on her pale cheeks.

"ENOUGH!" The castle shook as Dracula shouted and twisted his hand. By his powers we were lifted off each other and put at either end of the great hall.

"Where are her babies?" I asked.

"In my summer palace in Budapest. I the vaults. Now go! I need to be alone." He floated towards a wall and soon there was nothing there but an imprint of him made of ice.

"It's not easy to love him is it?" Verona asked in a deep brown voice. She was elegant, silent, light on her feet and very, very dark. She suited Dracula well.

I looked at her. Verona was seriously asking me this?

"It's not." I said and I used my powers of fast movement to get out of the great hall and away from her. She followed. "You are a quick learner I see?"

"Well, I did have one hundred years to learn it all." She smiled.

"Coffin?" I asked.

"No, but I suspect there is one for me. Done in the vaults perhaps?"

"Perhaps." I answered and walked off.

Again she followed. "Aren't you going to ask me how I became a vampire?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Fine. How did you become a vampire?"

"I was part of a rich household, in inner Romania." She looked at me, "He was at a masked ball and I danced with the dark, mysterious man in the black and gold mask."

"Did you-" I was about to ask a question when she cut me off.

"I fell for him and I took him upstairs to my room…" Verona trailed off an looked at the ground.

I shook my head, "You are still slightly human, I can tell, that's what I was like before you."

Verona replied with "You don't seem to care that I made more babies with your husband?"

I laughed, "No, I have learnt why and I suppose if we want our kind to thrive then we have to do what we have to do!" I opened the door to the coffin room. "Oh!"

"Where are the coffins?" Verona stepped in. "There is one but it says Vladislaus Dracula." She turned to me an raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"Follow me." I didn't really know where my coffin had gone so I decided to try the other rooms in the vault.

I saw a light. I went to it and inside a dimly lit room was two coffins, Verona's and mine.

"You found them then!" She walked to hers and got into it.

I nodded, "Sleep helped me find my inner evil dear. I promise I won't kill you during the night, there is no competition between us."

She smiled at me. "Thank you." She went to sleep.

"You are trust worthy then!" Dracula emerged in the door way."

"I am faithful to my master." I smiled a dark smile and he beckoned me closer.

"Come with me, we have some catching up to do…." He whispered and kissed my shoulder.

I fell into his cold strong arms, "Yes my master, I will." He took me to that room with the large bed and loved me like he had done so many times before. Although I could not feel love I knew I found comfort in those dead arms of his.

The next night I managed to get along well with Verona, taking long walks on the ceiling together.

"My brides! Count Dracula appeared on the large mantel piece and proceeded to walk along it. "I must leave you to try and find a creature of some kind to bring our children to life and give the Devil his justice!"

Verona and I dropped from the ceiling crying and wailing. Our cries echoed around the castle.

"Why leave us again!" Verona flew to him and began kissing his neck.

He put his arms around her, "You must be patient!"

I flew to him this time and did the same as Verona had done, "Do not bring back another bride my love, please!"

"If I am to insure the survival of our kind then I need to keep-" I cut the Count off by placing a finger over his lips.

"Collecting untouched women." I raised an eyebrow and smiled at him knowingly.

"You could say that." The Count let go of Verona and I. "I must fly now, adieu my beauties." He bowed and kissed our hands.

"Goodbye master." We cooed.

Count Dracula hissed, turned into a giant bat and flew out of one of the huge stain glass windows.

"I guess it's just you and me then?" Verona looked at me then sprang down from the mantelpiece.

"What do you want to do?" I asked.

"Tomorrow we can bite some mortals because I am terribly thirsty, but now, I quite fancy a bath."

"A bath?" I puzzled.

"Of course you were a peasant from the village below you did really bath!" She walked toward the door. "When I was alive 100 years ago, I lived in a huge grand palace and I had a huge marble bathroom. Inside the bathroom was a bath half the size of this room! The servants would heat up the fires below it and pour gallons of water into the bath, the water would slowly heat up and I would climb in and relax….." Verona sighed, "It was designed a very long time ago by the Romans."

"I'm not sure there is a bath here." I followed her out of the doors.

"I'm sure we can find something like a bath, come on." We flew around the palace for a while searching frantically. I had never really had a bath before. Every couple of months my mother would pour a bucket of freezing cold water over my head. That was as close as I ever got to a bath.

After about three hours of searching we found a large stone pit in the dungeons.

"This will do perfectly." Verona smiled. "Dwergi! Fill this pit with water." Soon lots of Dwergi scuttled back and forth with buckets of water. It took a long time before the pit was full.

"How are you going to warm it up?" I dipped a hand in. Cold.

Verona smiled and clicked her fingers. Flames of fire danced on the water.

"You try!" She said. "Think of fire."

Sure enough when I thought of fire and clicked my fingers a thousand flames danced upon the water. When Verona had decided that the water was ready she slipped out of her thin green dress revealing her dark, slender body. She sat on the edge of the pit then slowly dropped herself into it. Verona made funny little panting noises as she swam around. Then she looked me up and down and said, "You should come in."

"I'm not sure, I can't swim."

Verona laughed and I realised what I had said. I was dead; it didn't matter if I drowned!

"Are you coming in then?" Verona swam further out.

"Yes, but you do know we will have to get rid of this and you do know that we will never be able to do this again." I stared deep into her dark brown eyes.

"Of course Aleera! I understand you know Count Dracula better than me; you are his strongest and most important bride! Now strip…."

I slowly stepped out of my pink dress letting it fall to the fall, baring my pale skin.

"Come on." Verona purred and she beckoned me.

I slipped into the water. It was warm! I never thought warm water was possible, in fact I didn't even know warm water existed! You may think me stupid but I lived in the snowy outskirts of Transylvania in the middle of a pine forest. I had been separated from the outside world for the whole of my life and I knew nothing.

I floated closer to Verona who settled herself in a far corner.

"You like it then?" Verona raised herself up a bi so the top of her breasts showed.

"Yes, it's nice." I stared at Verona, her dark skin all shiny and wet, her hair so black. I felt warm and sweaty looking at her, especially between my legs...

"Come closer to me." Verona bared her fangs as I went closer to her. I floated in front of her now. "You are so pretty Aleera I can see why the Count fell for you!" She snaked her arms around my waist and began to kiss my neck.

"Verona!" I screamed as she pricked my neck. "Stop! Please stop!"

"Don't you like it Aleera? I was always wild when I was alive; I went for anyone beautiful I could get my hands on! My father never found out and now I have no authority I can do what I please." Verona bit down hard on my shoulder.

I let out a little scream of shock and pleasure. "Love bite!" I laughed and bared my own teeth, doing what she had done to me to her. Then I realised, she was still slightly human like I had been and this was wrong. I belonged to the Count. He had my heart, my body and my life.

My eyes blazed red and I dug my long nails into her hips, rising her up above my head. I hissed in anger at her.

"What are you doing?" She cried.

"I am the strongest and most important bride of Dracula! I make the rules!" I shouted and threw her across the pit were she landed at the other end with a big splash! "So do not abuse me in any way!"

"Of course Aleera." Verona wheezed as she came back up and looked away, ashamed at what she had done.

The next night, after we had sucked the blood out of a few peasants Verona began to deflowered slightly, she didn't look as grand as she usually did.

"Do you feel ok?" I asked as her face crumpled.

"No." Verona clutched her stomach and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but stopped herself.

"If you don't tell me what you want to tell me then I will just read your mind."

"Fine!" She hissed. "I dreamt last night that Count Dracula got me pregnant and I-I-I" Verona stammered before giving up in telling me all together.

"I don't want to alarm you or anything, but, erm, vampires don't dream." I clutched her hand as she realised what I was trying to say.

"You mean to say I did go to the Count last night!" She shouted in disbelief.

"The Count can inflict anybody's dreams and can make them as real as he wants, that is sometimes how he takes his victims."

"So…." Verona looked at me wanting to tell her more.

"Yes. I'm afraid you are going to have about one hundred small green cocoons over a couple of days." I sighed and remembered how the Dwergi chattered in the shadows of that dimly lit room and how those to funny old women helped me through it all. They would be there for Verona.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter9

When Count Dracula returned I was all over him. I kissed up to him and never left his side. It made me pleased to see the now heavily pregnant Verona feel bad for what she had done to me.

"Is Verona being cared for?" Dracula asked me.

"Yes my master, Olga and Mildred arrived yesterday." I answered.

"You are not interfering with her condition are you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No I have decided to stay out the way."

Dracula laughed "You are not supporting her?"

"I am Aleera Dracula, an evil blood sucking vampire support only myself…." I hissed baring my pearly whites.

Dracula pulled me into him and held me tight crushing my spine making me go limp and paralysed.

"I'd never thought I'd ever here you say that." He pushed his lips onto mine as I felt my spine rebuild itself.

"S-s-s-sir…" Olga appeared at that door.

Dracula let go of me and hissed "What do you want, can't you see I'm in the middle of something here?"

"S-s-s-sorry sir, but Verona is ready now." Olga bowed and scuttled away.

"I must go my love and inspect my new children." He was just about to disappear when I grabbed his arm.

"Hang on! I thought you told me we vampires could only give birth every millennium?"

"I lied so you wouldn't feel left out, but you see I'm saving you for special occasions." He growled and disappeared.

I stood alone in the Great Hall of Castle Dracula .I was never quite sure if Dracula loved me or not. We vampires could not feel but we could show and we could decide. There was something about him that suggest a slight disinterest in myself and Verona, but I knew one thing for a fact, and that was that he would no doubt bring back another girl sooner or later. Verona would be distraught were as I wouldn't let it trouble me too much, there would be words, but I could never go against Count Dracula. He was my master and I had to obey and fear him because I knew that he could kill me if he wanted to and he wasn't afraid to do so.

Verona's babies were the same as mine. Funny little green cocoons that were all slimy. As soon as she had had them Dracula disappeared again to find a way of bringing them to life. He wasn't gone for very long, only about year before he came back…..

"Marishka!" Count Dracula pushed the girl in green, almost yellow, and gold bra and Persian pants (it was a slightly Arabian style) forward. "She is my new bride."

Verona wandered up to her running her hands through Marishka's long golden hair. "Where is she from?"

"The South Verona." He informed us.

"Any children yet?" I inquired.

"Yes, but they are in Castle Frankenstein!"

"Castle Frankenstein?" Verona asked.

"Aleera knows it well don't you my dear?" Dracula hissed.

"Yes I do master it is where you took me and bit me…..when my heart stopped beating." I looked away then held my head high to show I was a proud vampire.

"Yes I'm glad you remember, all vampires should remember the day when they were bitten! It is a must!" Dracula purred. "Now take Marishka to the vaults, her coffin should be there with yours. I have moved mine to a separate room." Verona and I left the Great Hall with Marishka.

Another one hundred years passed. I got to know Marishka well, but Verona and I didn't like her. She was brave, but useless and a bit pathetic. She was younger than me and the Count loved her dearly, but pretty face is all that made her special!


	10. Chapter 10 A New Story

Chapter10

It had been three hundred years since was bitten and turned into a vampire. We terrorised the village every couple of months when we needed feeding. The Tophat family of undertakers had kept on having boys so even now there was a Mr Tophat and the Valerious family had really grown. Dracula had found a Doctor called Doctor Frankenstein, a body snatcher who said he could build a man or monster out of dead body parts that would be immortal. Of course the Count never told the good Doctor of his plans to use the immortal monster to bring our children to life because that would give the existence of vampires away to the Doctor and he would never agree to use his creation for such purposes, but back to the Valerious family. We had taken Boris, King of the Gypsies, sometime ago, as an experiment to see if he could bring our children to life of course it didn't work and he died. His two children Velkan and Anna now, like the rest of their family stuck to their oath and constantly tried to kill us. Of course they never will!

"So thirsty!" Marishka hissed and stretched, rising out of her coffin.

Count Dracula rose out of his, "It is day, but it is dark outside and the sun's rays are refusing to shine through, go feed."

Marishka, Verona and I changed into our bat forms and flew out of Castle Frankenstein, which is where staying even though it had been attacked some years ago, that was the day we lost Doctor Frankenstein's immortal creation. Frankenstein. The Frankenstein monster. My master still hunts for it using werewolves as his slaves to hunt the monster down or find someone else who can bring our children to life. The last we saw of Frankenstein was when he stood on the burning windmill cradling the good Doctor, his father, his creator in his arms. The villagers cheered at the sight when it burned to the ground, but we brides wept at the sight. My master has never been the same again. He was crushed from the inside that day.

The village looked solemn like it always did. The ground was lightly dusted with snow and the villagers were outside.

"Its like they're waiting for us!" Verona laughed.

"Should be an easy kill then!" I chortled and we swooped down.

I had my eye on Anna who was standing on the well addressing the villagers. I got close behind her and was about to grab her when she ducked. The man in the long leather coat shooting at us with a crossbow had told her. Who was this stranger? We flew high into the air snarling because we hadn't got her like the werewolf had got her brother who was now being held prisoner in the castle, tended to by Igor.

"Everybody inside!" Anna shouted and the villagers scattered in all directions, running into their little wooden houses bolting the doors and windows.

Still the stranger in the leather coat shot at us, but he had a bad aim, whilst the other stranger in the monks cloak crouched down by the well in fear.

Marishka knocked the crossbow from the stranger who fell upon the floor, Anna landing on top of him. Marishka, swooping down grabbed Anna by the shoulders and proceeded to fly off with her, but the stranger was quick and pulled Anna to the ground.

Marishka joined us back up in the air above the village.

Verona pulling an arrow from her shoulder snarled "Marishka kill the stranger!"

"Love to!" Marishka smiled a dark smile and swooped back down to the village.

As soon as Verona had said that I knew that my un-life was about to get a little more interesting and a lot harder…


End file.
